The ship will participate in theater security cooperation, maritime security and counter-piracy operations in support of 5th Fleet, 6th Fleet and NATO requirements. Taylor last deployed in February 2012, to support NATO's Operation Ocean Shield Counter-Piracy near the Horn of Africa.

"The 'Proud Defender' team is ready and excited to support its forward deployed operational requirements and theater security cooperation opportunities," said. Volpe. "We're looking forward to operating with other naval forces throughout the 5th and 6th Fleet AOR's."

Commissioned Dec. 1, 1984, Taylor was named after Cmdr. Jesse Junior Taylor who was a veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions during a rescue attempt of a downed pilot near the North Vietnamese port of Haiphong in November 1965.